The present invention relates generally to the field of joint assemblies, and more particularly to movable joint assemblies, such as a ball joint. A molding-in-place technique is provided for molding a joint structure and surrounding linkage member in-place to form an integral, self-toleranced, self-retained, movable joint assembly for a desired application.
Existing joint assemblies typically comprises a ball and socket mechanism, which is formed by a multi-step process of forming a ball structure, forming a socket structure, and then assembling the ball structure and the socket structure. The ball structure is generally formed by a molding process or by molding a ball onto a stud or linkage. The socket structure is generally formed by a separate molding process, using the desired geometry of the ball structure as a basis for the geometry for the socket structure. Unfortunately, the multiple steps generally result in a poor fit between the ball and socket. For example, the dimensional variations between the ball and socket may result in a tighter or looser fit than desired.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved molding technique to improve the fit between the ball and socket and to prevent the problems caused by the dimensional variations between the ball and socket. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to mold the joint assembly in-place, thereby preventing the tolerance problems caused by the dimensional variations between the ball and socket.